Hemp protein has been on the rise lately and seen in a lot of places. Some years back this was not a very well known source of protein, nor did it garner much attention. Today,

IN MY OWN WORDS

Foods can be classified as complete, partial, or incomplete sources of proteins. In order for a food to be classified as complete, it must contain all eight essential amino acids. Hemp is considered a complete protein because it contains all eight essential amino acids in sufficient quantities to meet the body’s needs. This also makes hemp a good alternative source of protein for vegetarians and vegans

Hemp protein is easy to digest. It contains two types of proteins, edestin and albumin, which are known as globular proteins. Globular proteins dissolve easily so they are readily accessible for the body to use. This is in contrast to soy protein, for example, which can be more difficult for the body to digest. Soy contains inhibitors that block the action of trypsin and other enzymes that are needed to break down protein. This can often result in unwanted bloating and gas.

#AITchallenge 3 - Battle Rope Challenge

Level 1 - 50 Hits for Time

Level 2 - 75 Hits for Time

First of all, I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU for everyone that participated in the challenge this year.

We had our biggest turnout yet for a challenge and so many people had some great improvements! It was really tough to pick our winners, and even those that didn't come in the top 3 were really close.

We really enjoyed pushing you guys these past 8 weeks and hope that you can keep that momentum going through the winter holidays. A lot of people that didn't place still had some great improvements, and we want you to keep working on them! Hopefully we will have you in another challenge sometime in the future!

Without further ado, here are the top 3 for each category...

Congratulations!

FIRST place in each category gets the FitBit charge + 1 Month of Personal Training!

60 Day Fitness Challenge from After It Trianing

If you’ve been subscribed any kind of medication or SSRIs for bouts of depression, anxiety or overall stress, we highly recommend finding more natural options, as long-term medication use can have damaging effects. There are many options to look at. Here we give the top 5 herbs that we recommend along with our supplement, New Mood, that we carry at the studio which combines most of the herbs we list below.

1. Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is a popular herb in Ayurvedic medicine that is known to protect the nervous system and relieve anxiety. Studies have confirmed not only its anxiety-fighting properties, but also that it is a powerful immune-system booster that may even have anti-aging effects.

2. Lemon Balm Leaf Extract

Lemon balm is a perennial herb in the mint family native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean regions. Studies have shown lemon balm to be helpful to the body in maintaining positive mood.

3. Brahmi (Bacopa Monnieri)

Brahmi (Bacopa Monnieri), is another herb that has been used in Ayurveda for hundreds of years which has been used to treat anxiety and cognitive function. Brahmi improves impulse transmission between nerve cells in the brain, and studies that have shown that it raises IQ and improves concentration. Brahmi has also shown to increase serotonin levels in the brain, leading to relaxation and reduced anxiety.

4. Valerian

Valerian root hails from the same botanical family as chamomile, another anti-anxiety herb, and is native to many regions of the world. In addition to anxiety, valerian is commonly used as a natural sleep aid. It has an exceptional safety record, with virtually no side effects beyond drowsiness.

5. Chamomile

The term Chamomile actually refers to a range of different daisy-like plants, which are a member of the Asteraceae family. There are many different species of chamomile, the two most commonly being German chamomile (Marticaria recutita) and Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile). They have been used since Ancient times for their calming and anti-inflammatory properties, and each offer their own additional health benefits. We recommend winding down your night with a hot-steeped Chamomile tea.

Our supplement of choice for combating stress and anxiety: New Mood from Onnit Labs.

The Kettlebell swing, in my opinion, is one of the most beneficial exercises a person can do. It needs to be mastered for the betterment of humanity.

Reasons why?

You need to use a lot of glutes. It is a hinge exercise, which means you will be bending at the hips more and thus your glutes should get a workout. Our glutes are sadly saggy and lacking strength these days. Somewhere, Sir Mix-A-Lot is crying inside. As a species we have evolved this BIG Glute muscle because it holds us in an upright posture and bears a lot of the loads when we walk and when we squat. If we do not have strong glutes, we put more load on the spine in each step and especially more when we try and squat heavy things. Praise Sir Mix-A-Lot!

It activates and strengthens the posterior chain. The important posterior chain muscles that I am referring to are the glutes, hamstrings and erector spinae muscles. These muscles are all being underused and atrophied as a result of our society sitting more of the day than not. When you sit, especially in a bad position, you are letting these muscles go to waste because they are not being used. Chronically sitting like this can turn into a big problem.

What to do

In these 2 following videos, we explain first the Hinge Position and then how to do a kettlebell swing. There are many ways to teach the swing, and many points to coach on. We wanted to make an easily digestible video to start on. So here you go.. Start with the explanation on Hinge mechanics and then move to kettlebell swing mechanics. Enjoy!